Grads earn 3x more in Dubai

Kirkland partner pierces ear mid-case

Elite firms in Tokyo demand 300+ hours

Dubai lawyers earn up 3x more than their Sydney peers - A$277k v A$125k for grads, and A$480k by Year 5, tax-free. The driver? Gulf sovereign wealth deals fuelling demand in energy, infra and tech. Latham, Clifford Chance and A&O Shearman are scaling fast in the UAE, and Aussie lawyers are following the money. Check out our post here.

Allens has become the first Aussie firm to partner with legal AI Legora, while also rolling out Thomson Reuters’ CoCounsel platform firm-wide. The move lets lawyers build custom AI workflows and automate grunt work like research and contract review. The firm says it’s all about “amplifying human expertise”: Allens

Some lawyers have completion dinners. Others pierce their ears in court. Kirkland & Ellis’ Joshua Sussberg kept a wild promise - getting his ear pierced in court. After brokering a last-minute rescue deal for accessories chain Claire’s, the partner had his ears pierced in Court. Respect the commitment to the cause: Legal Cheek

Piper Alderman has nabbed Marisa Orr as a partner in its Perth corporate team, adding firepower to its ASX capital markets and M&A offering. Orr joins amid the firm’s push to scale its corporate bench across all six offices, being the fourth new corp partner this year: Lawyers Weekly

The NSW Supreme Court has declared that Hans Mende’s attempt to terminate Jamie Frankcombe as managing director of AMCI Investments (AMCI) was invalid. Mende, acting as Executive Chairman of the US parent AMCIG, claimed authority to fire Frankcombe. But the Court held that AMCI is a separate entity. Under its constitution and s 140 of the Corporations Act, directors must act collectively; no single director or parent executive can sack a subsidiary employee without board authority. The Court also noted that any implied authority from past practice was withdrawn once directors demanded constitutional compliance. Frankcombe’s termination was invalid, and he remains managing director.

The Federal Government has passed the Payments System Modernisation Bill 2025, expanding the regulatory net to capture new and emerging payment systems including digital wallets and crypto services. The reforms give the Treasurer and RBA new powers to designate systems in the national interest, and introduce civil penalties and enforceable undertakings to toughen enforcement. For fintechs and platforms, it means wider coverage, sharper compliance, and higher stakes.

ASIC has published FAQs on new auditing and assurance rules for sustainability reports under the Corporations Act. The FAQs guide both auditors and preparers on obligations around reviews, audits, auditors’ reports, and liability settings. Until 2030, only a review may be required, but from 1 July 2030 all sustainability reports must be audited. ASIC says it will take a pragmatic enforcement approach, focusing on serious or reckless misconduct: ASIC

A New York judge has dismissed terrorism-related murder counts against Luigi Mangione, ruling the charges were “legally insufficient”. Mangione still faces second-degree murder in state court over the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, plus a separate federal indictment carrying the death penalty: Business Insider

Thinking of working abroad? Well, at Tokyo’s elite firms, lawyers work 10am to 3am weekdays, plus weekends, racking up 300+ hours a month with less than 10 days’ leave a year. The culture of “otsukare sama desu” (“you must be tired”) masks exhaustion, loyalty and pride in equal measure. Complaints are rare, overwork is identity, and “karoshi” (“death by overwork”) remains a serious issue: Roads & Kingdoms

Dementia has overtaken heart disease as the leading cause of death, responsible for 17,400 deaths in 2023 - that’s 1 in 10. The AIHW estimates cases could hit 1.1m by 2065, up from 425k today. Almost half of the cases are linked to preventable factors like obesity, inactivity and smoking: TDA

Anacacia Capital: has raised $280m for a five-year continuation fund, rolling three of its top assets – Direct Couriers, RP Infrastructure and timber group Big River – into “Anacacia V.” The oversubscribed raise hands older backers exits while letting new investors ride along, with returns tipped at 29% annually. Thomson Geer and Deloitte advised: AFR

Apollo Global: is tipped as the frontrunner for Bank of Queensland’s $3.8bn equipment finance loan book, beating out rivals like Blackstone and Bain. With $US72bn in cash reserves and a track record in complex debt deals, Apollo looks best placed to scoop up the portfolio: AFR

PointsBet: is now two-thirds owned by Japan’s MIXI, which closed its $1.25-a-share offer with 66.43% control after topping up with on-market buys. Betr’s stock tanked 7.3% on the news, while PointsBet lifted 2.9%. Betr’s rival all-scrip bid remains open until 25 September: Capital Brief

Woodside is reworking business plans for its North West Shelf after the Albanese gov gave a 2070 extension with tough new emission limits to protect Indigenous rock art. But whether it can meet those limits is another question. Clayton Utz’s Lucy Shea says the post-2031 cuts rely on “uncertain tech,” creating high compliance risk under the EPBC Act if targets aren’t met: AFR

New Hope Coal boss Rob Bishop says Australia should be the main coal supplier as global coal use keeps climbing, hitting 8.8bn tonnes in 2024. His comments come as Labor readies its 2035 emissions target. Bishop’s pitch: back emissions cuts, but don’t sideline coal’s economic heft: AFR

Earlier this week, Switzerland’s upper house cleared the gov to impose tougher capital rules on UBS by ordinance, lifting requirements by up to $26bn. The plan bans counting software and deferred tax assets as core capital, adding about $9bn. It’s part of post-Credit Suisse reforms, but UBS warns the move risks hurting global competitiveness: Reuters

NAB is the front-runner to buy HSBC Australia’s $33bn mortgages and $19bn deposits, with Citi running the sale and ING circling. Other majors aren’t rushing, citing ACCC heat and integration headaches. APRA licence limits buyers, so Treasurer sign-off is needed. While NAB is favoured, approvals may decide it: AFR

Super Retail has fired CEO Anthony Heraghty after admitting he misled the board about an alleged affair with ex-HR boss Jane Kelly. His $3.4m in incentives were axed, with CFO David Burns stepping in as interim CEO. The scandal feeds into a Federal Court whistleblower case due in Feb, while ASIC is also circling: The Australian

Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation is set to offload Ayers Rock Resort to US-owned Journey Beyond for about $300m, ending a contentious 15-year hold. Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia tapped Gilbert + Tobin and Greenhill last year to run options: AFR

After years of being targeted in fake investment schemes, Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue has deployed agentic AI to hunt down scam profiles on Meta and X. The bot has already removed 130+ fake accounts in weeks, slashing takedown times from months to 24 hours. Forrest claims Meta used his image in over 230,000 scam ads since 2019 in his latest lawsuit: AFR*

OpenAI has inked an MoU with Microsoft to end their contractual spat, paving the way for a new corporate structure that lets it issue equity and raise fresh billions. CFO Sarah Friar says the AI pioneer is chasing a “full stack” strategy from chips to apps. SoftBank’s rumoured $10bn cheque looks back on the table: Business Insider